• 5 Ways AI is Transforming Small Business Marketing in 2026

    Small businesses no longer need a massive budget to market like the big players. AI tools have leveled the playing field in ways that would have seemed impossible just a few years ago. Here are five practical ways you can start using AI in your marketing today. 1. Content Creation at Scale AI writing tools…

  • Most companies don’t have a marketing problem. They have a traction problem.

    Not traction in the EOS sense, though there’s overlap there. I mean the kind of traction that forms when your audience begins to expect you to exist. When they’ve seen your name enough, heard your perspective enough, and encountered your thinking often enough that you’ve quietly become part of their mental landscape. That kind of…

  • Discernment Fatigue is real. Skepticism is dying. Acceptance is replaced with Affirmation

    Discernment Fatigue Why People Are Too Tired to Figure Out What’s Real My mother said something recently that was sharper than she probably intended. “I hate AI. All the videos that are fake and you don’t know what’s real and what’s not. And people believe it.” Yes, they do. But not only because the technology…

  • Storytelling in the Age of AI

    How Smart Brands Stay Human While Using Artificial Intelligence Artificial intelligence has entered the marketing department like an unpaid intern with infinite stamina. Need ten headline options? Done.Need blog outlines? Done.Need customer sentiment themes from 3,000 reviews? Done before lunch. For many businesses, it feels like a breakthrough. For others, it feels like the beginning…

  • Creativity Matters in Online Ads

    Smart Enough to Work: Why Great Digital Advertising Still Needs Great Creative Digital advertising has created a strange illusion in business. Because platforms are sophisticated, targeting is precise, dashboards are colorful, and results can be measured down to the click, many companies assume success in digital advertising is mostly a technology problem. It is not.…

  • Build meaningful relationships with donors on the Other Side of the Table

    How Nonprofits Can Build Corporate Partnerships That Actually Mean Something Nonprofits talk a lot about mission. Corporations talk a lot about impact. Somewhere between those words, a check gets written, a logo ends up on a banner, and both sides move on until next year’s budget cycle reminds everyone how fragile that relationship really was.…

  • Corporate Giving: the Power of a Shared Table

    Every year around Thanksgiving, organizations of every size start gearing up for “giving season.” The giant checks reappear. The ribbon-cutting scissors come out of storage. Someone brings in a camera to capture the team holding up donated boxes of canned goods. Nothing wrong with any of that. It’s just rarely the whole story. Thanksgiving is…

  • The Myth of the Viral Campaign

    If your marketing plan includes the word viral, it’s not a plan—it’s a prayer. We all love the idea of the big breakout. The post everyone shares. The campaign that suddenly takes on a life of its own. But “going viral” isn’t a strategy. It’s what happens when timing, luck, and algorithms briefly decide to…

  • Why Boycotting Advertisers Over a Show Is Pointless (and a Little Silly)

    TL;DR Every time a host says something controversial, we hear the same battle cry: “Boycott the advertisers!” The theory is that if you punish the brands who bought commercial time, the show will fold, the host will cave, or the network will backpedal. Here’s the problem: that’s not how advertising actually works. Most advertisers don’t…

  • When Even Coffee Feels Like a Hard Choice

    Some mornings I wake up already tired of making decisions. Before I’ve even had my first sip of coffee, I’m stuck in little debates: check email or ignore it? Start the big project or just warm up with something small? Eat breakfast now or… later? On days when anxiety is running high, even simple choices…

  • When to Listen, When to Lead: The High-Stakes Art of Brand Backtracking

    Listen. Think. Don’t React If you asked most marketers whether brands should “listen to their customers,” the answer would be a resounding yes. Of course they should. That’s just good business. But in 2025, listening isn’t the hard part.The hard part is knowing what to do after you’ve heard the response. What if your big…

  • Growth, Tech, and Entertainment Drive Nashville’s New Brand

    For most of its history, Nashville’s brand was simple: Music City. The Grand Ole Opry. The Ryman. Broadway’s neon boot signs and pedal taverns. A city steeped in country‑music nostalgia—where the past wasn’t just remembered, it was marketed. Politically, culturally, and economically, Nashville was comfortable being the anchor of a conservative heartland. It sold the good ol’ days,…

  • Structure your Non-Profit Giving

    A Practical Guide to Corporate Philanthropy I call September and October hunting season for fundraising teams and non-profits. The holidays are around the corner, and these committees assume we, as business owners, have our budgets neatly buttoned up for next year. (HA!) Still, the calls, texts, and “just popping by” visits start rolling in—usually with…

  • Make It a Hot One: How to Run Summer Promotions That Actually Work

    **read down for a free downloadable checklist! Summer is marketing’s playground. People are outside, scrolling more, spending freely, and generally in a better mood. Which makes it the perfect season to roll out fun, high-energy campaigns that connect and convert. Whether you’re running a full summer campaign or just dipping your toes in seasonal ideas,…

  • 7 Marketing Moves Every Small Business Should Make Right Now

    (Especially if You’re Tired of Winging It) In a world full of noise, small businesses don’t just need marketing — they need smart marketing. Whether you’re launching something new or realizing your “strategy” has been mostly vibes and guesswork, now’s the time to regroup. Here’s how to build a foundation that works without throwing spaghetti…

  • Is December the right time to build next year’s marketing plan? Yes!

    It’s Not Too Late: How to Build a Marketing Plan (Even in December) Picture this: You’re at your desk — okay, safe bet — calendar flipped to December — yep — staring at a blank Word doc titled “Annual Marketing Plan.” Chills. And now you’re Googling “last-minute marketing planning,” which is exactly how you ended…

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